


Castles Made of Sand

by Sheselectric



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Developing Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Friendship/Love, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-17 22:42:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21517657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheselectric/pseuds/Sheselectric
Summary: Ryder hoped she wouldn't have to see him so soon, but when Reyes throws a banquet for the Initiative leadership, she has no choice but to face him.
Relationships: Female Ryder | Sara & Reyes Vidal, Female Ryder | Sara/Reyes Vidal, Ryder/Reyes Vidal
Comments: 2
Kudos: 59





	Castles Made of Sand

Months.

It’d been months since they last landed on Kadara. If it was up to Ryder, she’d not set the foot on the planet for a few more, but some decisions were beyond her control.

Reyes – _the Charlatan_ , she corrected herself internally – extended the invitation to the Initiative. No, it wasn’t a quiet, back-door deal he made with Ryder. It was an official invitation for all those in command. A smart move, all things considered, because Tann and Addison would _never_ visit if their backs weren’t against the wall. To make peace with those who left, but to refuse a banquet invitation from the leader himself? No, this just wouldn’t stand.

Reyes knew that too well. She couldn’t blame him, not really – all his decisions were carefully measured. He had to be planning something big. She just wished he had left her out of it.

“Excited to see your _fling_?” Peebee was standing in the door of her quarters. “It’s called a fling, right? A hook-up? I can never remember those human words, damn it."

She was already making herself comfortable on the couch.

“He’s not a fling.” Ryder was putting on an atrocious, _elegant_ dress. “I mean, maybe he was. I don’t know. Is this something we really need to be talking about now, Peebee? I’m kinda busy."

Any mention of Reyes was making her blood pressure go up. Some more of that and SAM would start to inquire, and she wouldn’t be able to handle it. She _had_ to keep it together.

“Uh, sure,” Peebee said while standing up, “I’ll see you down."

Ryder finished putting on her dress. She put the shoes on. She fixed her hair… And then she started strolling around the cabin, breathing deeply as she attempted to prepare herself mentally.

She wouldn’t need to stay long, right? It was an official party; those were always a bore. She could have a drink, shoot some smiles, and then leave quietly. If she played her cards right, she wouldn’t even need to talk to…

“Pathfinder,” SAM spoke suddenly, “I believe that it’s time to…”

“Ryder.” Cora knocked on her door at precisely the same time. “Everyone’s ready to go."

She could do it. _She could do it._

“I’m coming,” she shouted and there was no turning back.

~

The headquarters were _packed_ with people. Reyes must have made some adjustments to the building because these were no longer the shabby, dark rooms that Sloane used to reside in, but sleek, modern interiors with a killer view over the valley.

When Ryder thought of it, the place looked nothing like what Reyes would like, yet it was so perfectly _him_. Charm people. Make an impression. Make them feel comfortable and then…

Cold sweat ran down her spine as she remembered he was somewhere in the crowd.

“Relax, kid." Drack patted her on the arm. "It’s a party”.

“I’m relaxed,” she answered in a pretend-lax tone. “And it’s not really a party, _party_. It’s like a work party thing."

“Yeah, yeah. Party’s a party. As long as there’s ryncol I’ll be fine."

She couldn’t help but smile. Maybe Drack was right. Maybe it was just another party... in which case, a drink was in order.

Ryder parted her ways with the group as she spotted the bar. She barely leaned on the counter when the glass was slid in her direction.

“On the house,” the bartender said with a gentle smile.

And just like that, her anxiety turned into irritation. That _bastard._ He thought he could soften her up with free drinks?

“I’ll pay,” she said coldly.

“Ma’am, there’s no need.” The bartender was already serving someone else.

She looked at the glass for the longest moment, before taking it in her hand and gulping the drink down.

“Classy." Liam squeezed to her right.

“Shut up,” she said, and waved to have her glass refilled.

As the alcohol spread down her body, she felt more than capable of surviving the night. Reyes’ nerve proved to be a good motivator to face him.

But when she actually saw him a few minutes later, everything that she’d planned to say –- or not to say –- fell apart. He was standing by the panoramic window, his figure basking in the hue of the soft, orange light as he smiled and raised his glass with some people. He hasn’t changed one bit… Maybe except for the attire. He looked damn good out of his armor.

It hit her then that despite all this time, her feelings were no less intense than when she last saw him. Or maybe she'd known that all along. Maybe that was why she'd dreaded coming to this goddamned party.

“Pathfinder,” someone said, “ _Pathfinder_ ”.

“Huh?” Ryder turned in the direction of the noise, her eyes focusing on the person in front of her. “Oh, Tann,” she said, finally coming to her senses, “how are you liking the party?”

“As much as can be expected,” he leaned in closer, “I don’t trust this… _Charlatan."_

Ryder laughed quietly and took a sip from her glass.

“I think they’ve shown us we have nothing to fear."

“Still don’t trust them.” He looked around. "Excuse me, Addison will be looking for me."

With Tann gone, her eyes darted to the window. This time, however, Reyes wasn’t there. For a second, she thought that maybe she had imagined him –- along with all of her uncomfortable feelings -- but she knew it’d be too good to be true.

~

Ryder finished her drink while walking to the door. She planned on getting some fresh air, but as she stumbled into the corridor, her plan changed. There was nothing that she loved more than a little exploration and the new interiors called to her.

For the most part, the place was turned into offices -– Kadara’s own control center. She wondered if it was just a front for some of the Collective’s more questionable activities, but if so, she had to appreciate the effort put into making appearances.

She stumbled into the storage unit, quickly scanning the boxes only to find that they were filled with expensive alcohol. It reminded her of how she and Reyes truly came to be, and her pulse quickened. She left before more memories came flooding back.

Finally, she made it up the stairs, only to find a pair of doors that opened into an expansive office. Had it had any personal belongings, she would have stepped out, but the place seemed perfectly impersonal, with an uncluttered desk and empty glass cabinets lining the wall to her left.

And the view from there was even better than from the party below. Windows covered the entire front wall, providing a stunning view of the valley. She could almost lose herself in the picturesque panorama in front of her.

“Ryder,” a voice came from the door and her stomach clenched in surprise.

“Reyes,” she said while slowly turning around.

He closed the door behind him and suddenly the whole space felt too tight. She could feel her heart starting to beat faster, heat spreading uncomfortably up her chest and neck.

“I was hoping to get you alone,” he said and suddenly the heat on her skin turned into spikes.

“Did you orchestrate all this?”

He smirked.

“Yes, I did plan this party."

Oh, that smug bastard. She took a few steps closer, anger bubbling inside her chest.

“That’s not what I meant. Did you want me to come here? Into this office? Is this even _your_ office?” She was trying to calm herself down, but it wasn’t working.

“All right, yes,” he answered, taking a slow, measured step in her direction, “I wanted to talk to you privately." She was looking at him in disbelief. “And yes, it’s technically my office, but you know how I like to _work."_

For a few seconds, she wanted to tear into him. To tell him how terrible and disappointing he was. But as she stood there, looking into his eyes, the anger turned into a desire that made her skin tingle.

She couldn’t figure out how things went so wrong. He was a liar –- a master manipulator who put the pieces exactly where he wanted them. He _used_ her to seize power. A minute of time alone with him though and all of those things went out the window.

At that moment, Ryder hated herself. She hated how she was reacting to him, and she hated how the situation was shaping up to be.

“I’m done,” she muttered.

The only defense against him was to leave. She quickened her pace, head raised high as she started to pass him by. She was almost by the door when he caught her arm. His hand was warm –- a contrast to the usual feeling of his gloves -- and a shiver ran down her spine as she remembered the last time he touched her with his bare hands.

“Ryder,” he said as she turned her head to meet his eyes, “I started off on the wrong foot. Please, let’s talk."

She looked down, trying to force herself to _think;_ to make a good decision and leave him behind, but as he took one step closer, her resolve crumbled.

“Let go,” she said as the last resort and, _thank god_ , he did. She was eyeing him with caution as she took a step back. “If you want to talk, talk."

He didn’t move an inch, but something in his posture changed. He seemed more tense -- nervous even -- as he cleared his throat.

“I wanted to apologize,” he said, “I didn’t like the way we ended things." Her heart started to beat faster as she listened to his words. That was _bad_. He was about to make the smoothest apology she’d ever heard in her life and she would _break_.

“Reyes,” she said with a warning, but he ignored her.

“I should’ve been honest with you. I was telling myself that one more action… One more step in the plan and I’d come clean."

“But you didn’t,” Ryder said, all of her feelings coming to the surface, “you lied over and over again. You had so many chances to tell me, Reyes."

He took a step in her direction and her heart stopped.

“There’s nothing I regret more, believe me.” He was towering over her, his eyes searching her face. “I lied to you, yes, but I _never_ lied about us. I wanted to be the man you saw in me."

She took a deep breath. No. _Nope_. she _couldn’t_ take him back –- it was a matter of principle. “I’m sorry, Ryder,” he continued, “for everything."

She hadn’t noticed in all of her turmoil, but he was now inches away from her face, and the closeness made it harder than ever to deny him.

“Why is this happening to me?” She said more to herself than to him and he smirked.

“I’ve been asking this myself every day since you left."

Ryder couldn’t help but laugh. She looked into his hopeful eyes and for a second she wished she could’ve told him that everything would be all right between them.

“I forgive you, Reyes,” she said instead, trying to silence all of her wants and desires, “but you know that this doesn’t change anything."

For the briefest of moments, a profound sadness crossed his eyes, but it disappeared as he mustered an understanding smile.

“I know,” he said.

Her stomach clenched on the sound. She knew she should’ve been leaving –- prolonging the inevitable wasn’t going to help either of them -- but she couldn’t move. Her eyes were locked on his, heat spreading down her body despite everything that just transpired.

“So, I’m just gonna go… Now,” she muttered, hoping that forcing herself to speak would force her body to move.

It didn’t. The tension between them only grew as she stood firmly in place. _God, why wasn’t she moving?_

“All right,” he said, but didn’t move either.

For the reasons beyond her control, her eyes slid down to his lips, and she knew she was done for.

Ryder gripped the laps of his jacket, pulling him to her mouth. It was instinctual; a raw desire that erupted when their lips meet. And Reyes knew exactly how to react. He wrapped his arms around her without a second of hesitation, fingers spreading on the bare skin of her back as she moaned in his mouth.

His warm, familiar scent; the faint taste of whiskey on his tongue; and the firmness of his body pressed into hers -– she was falling and crashing hard. Heat started pulling from her stomach and traveling down her thighs, throbbing between her legs as she tried to press harder into him.

“God,” she whispered when his mouth landed on her neck.

He was leaving wet, hot kisses as he went, making her shiver in his grasp.

 _All those months apart_. All that time when she forced herself to forget about all that happened between them -- it was rendered worthless. She’d never been the one to break her promises, but Reyes seemed to be the only exception; weakness in the shape of the smoothest liar she's ever known.

She gasped when he lifted her before stepping quickly in the direction of the desk. He sat her down and parted her legs possessively to step closer and then, to her surprise, everything stopped. His hands were placed on the desk as he leaned in, his scent making her body quench in desire.

Their eyes locked and she wasn’t sure what she saw in them; whether it was desire, devotion, or something else that she didn’t dare name, but knew that it was making her head spin.

She waited for him to do something -- anything -- to ease off the unbearable tension, but she didn’t expect his hands placed gently on both sides of her face.

“I missed you,” he whispered in the most genuine tone and heart stopped in her chest.

And then he pulled her into a kiss.

Reyes was more than eager; he was panting to get her close, fingers wrapping in her hair as he kissed her; his tongue sweeping on hers. She moaned, wrapping her legs around him and sliding her hands under his shirt to feel the muscles of his back. 

It was a sensory overload –- the coldness of the desk and the heat of his skin; the raspy words whispered in her ear; the hardness that she felt between her legs.

Ryder wanted more.

She pulled on the button of his trousers, but before she could do anything, Reyes caught her wrists. He looked at her, something playful in his eyes as he slowly slid his hands under her dress. They were surprisingly rough, more than she remembered them to be, and she trembled as she gave in to his touch.

He was taking his time, rubbing her thighs as he searched for the hem of her underwear. It sent a shiver down her spine and she could feel the wetness pulling between her legs –- hot and sticky, throbbing as she tried to move her hips.

At last, he slid his fingers under the fabric, pulling it slowly down her legs. Once it fell to the floor, he was done with the pleasantries.

He grabbed her hips, making her gasp as he pulled her to the edge of the desk.

Ryder didn’t sit there passively. She was working on his trousers, sliding them down his legs.

When she was done, she grabbed his neck and started planting wet kisses all the way up to his ear. She wanted him. She wanted to feel him inside, hot, and hard, and heavy as he was between her legs.

Her mind was going haywire as he slowly pushed at her entrance, muscles in his thighs trembling when she put her hands on his hips.

She gasped when he finally slid in, her body only remembering how it felt to be with him. For a few seconds, they were still -- the silence between them disrupted only by her heavy breathing -- and then he started to move. Those were slow, shallow thrusts; pleasant only enough to make Ryder want more.

And when she wrapped her legs around him, they both knew she was ready. Reyes leaned in, one of his hands secured on the desk, the other wrapped around her waist. He was looking at her, seizing her reaction as his hips rolled lazily. She basked in the feeling, letting the pleasure spread around her body.

It was only when she looked into his eyes that he started to move faster; harder; pressing his body into hers as she moaned under his touch. She wanted to look away; to avoid the untold things that were building under the surface, but she couldn’t.

Every thrust was pushing her deeper into the need to do _something_. She was watching his face, a thin layer of sweat on his skin, the fluttering of his eyelids as he tried to hold her gaze.

Everything came together. The need, the desire, the closeness... The intimacy. How he held her and how he looked at her. Ryder couldn’t stop herself.

“I missed you too,” she whispered never leaving his eyes.

He slowed down, a smile crossing his lips.

With that, she gave in fully, her mind free of any constraints. All that was left was the urge to be with him; to respond when he thrust faster, forcing her to grasp onto his arms. To lie her head on his chest and give in to the pleasure.

And she did, her body tensing and clenching around him; her breath ragged as she tripped over the edge. She was pressing her lips into his, moaning, riding out the last waves of her orgasm and feeling his –- overwhelming and completely satisfying.

Ryder expected regret as soon as it was over. Anxiety maybe. She'd thought she’d crumble under the weight of it all, but as they started to dress, she felt nothing of the sort.

“We should drink to that,” Reyes said teasingly and extended his hand.

Ryder knew that they weren’t fixed. She knew that she’d told him something completely different before they slept together. She knew that it’d take forever to regain trust… But she slid her hand into his nevertheless.

“Maybe we should."


End file.
